Former Mavericks fan favorite reveals why he left for rival in free agency

When the Dallas Mavericks fell to the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals, one key player needed a new contract. That player was Derrick Jones Jr., who turned into the X-factor for the Mavs in the 2024 Playoffs.

Starting all 22 games of the 2024 Playoffs for Dallas, Jones Jr. averaged 9.1 points per game, and added steller defense with averaging one block per game too.

Unfortunately for Mavs fans, Jones Jr. left the team this free agency to sign a three-year, $30 million contract with the LA Clippers. Less than two weeks after signing with the Clippers, Jones Jr. gave the reasoning why he left the Mavs.

Derrick Jones Jr. reveals why he left Mavericks for Clippers in free agency

Jones Jr. met with the Clippers organization, and their approach with how Jones Jr. would fit in with the team may have seemed more appealing for Jones. Jr's game.

"The route they [were] wanting to go to was towards me and having me come in and fill in that 3-4 role," Jones Jr. said. "And, be aggressive offensively and be who I am defensively."

The loss of Jones Jr. will sting for the Mavs, but it was a head-scratcher for Jones Jr. to sign with the team that just lost to the Mavs in the opening round of the 2024 Playoffs. Jones Jr. was a key reason why the Mavs won the series.

With the 3-4 defensive role that Jones Jr. liked hearing about, it seems that Jones Jr. will be an every game starter for the Clippers. Even though Jones Jr. played in 76 games in the regular season last year for Dallas, he didn't start in 10 of them.

There was uncertainty before free agency started that Paul George was coming back to the Clippers, and now with George gone, maybe Jones Jr. had more interest signing with the Clippers. But, Dallas can have a chance to stick it to Jones Jr. if they were to win more games this upcoming season.

The good news for the Mavs is they made acquisitions to improve the team. The team made a trade for Quentin Grimes from the Pistons; signed Naji Marshall to a three-year contract; and completed a sign-and-trade for Klay Thompson.

With Dallas' eyes set on Thompson in free agency, maybe Jones Jr. knew that he was going to start in LA and wanted that bigger role. It definitely seems that way, but Marshall looks like someone who can replicate some of Jones Jr.'s defensive intensity.

Even with losing Jones Jr. in free agency, the Mavs are still in a good position to win games for next season. The team will be motivated coming off a Finals loss and will have revenge on their minds.